Ombre Layer Cake

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     This is the cake I made for my daughter's birthday when she turned 3. When I asked her, what was her favorite color she said "orange" hence the color of the cake(she kept changing the color). She loves chocolate(who doesn't) & I wanted to make her a chocolate cake but as I  badly wanted to bake an ombre layered cake, knowing very well that my daughter wouldn't like it I went ahead with my plan. After all there was another birthday coming up next month. As I was in a hurry I was unable to take step by step pics. Please be sure to read the notes given at the end of the post.

Ingredients:(Makes a 8"inch 4 layer cake)
For the sponge:
Caster sugar -     335 g. (*)
All purpose flour  -  315 g.
Cornflour              -   35 g.
Baking powder     -   1¾ tsp.
Salt        -   ¾ tsp.
Unsalted butter, at room temperature  -  335 g.
Eggs, large   -  6
Milk    -  5 Tbsp.
Vanilla extract  - 2 tsp.
Orange gel food coloring - 3 tsp. (*)
For Buttercream Icing:
Unsalted butter   -  230 g , at room temperature
Milk  -   120 ml.
Vanilla extract   -  2 tsp.
Icing sugar - 1 kg. (*)
Orange gel food coloring  - 2 tsp. (*)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C. Grease four 8" cake pan & line with parchment paper. (or bake in batches).
2. Put the sugar, flour, cornflour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and beat with a hand held beater for 30 seconds(to combine all the ingredients). To this dry ingredients add the butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract & beat  for  few seconds(50 sec.). Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a spatula, then beat again for another 5 seconds.(Do not over beat)
3. Divide the batter equally between four bowls. Add about 1 ½ tsp. of gel food color to one bowl and reduce the amount gradually (1 tsp., ½ tsp., ¼ tsp.) and add it to each bowl of batter.
4. Pour each bowl of batter into a separate prepared cake tin and spread  it out evenly with a spatula. Bake for  about15 minutes  or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Transfer the baked cake to wire racks  to cool completely before assembling.(*)

 For the buttercream icing:
1. Beat the butter, milk, vanilla and half the icing sugar in a bowl using an electric hand mixer until smooth.
2. Gradually beat in the remaining of the icing sugar to a smooth consistency.
3. Take about ¼- ½ cup of icing in a separate bowl and beat in about ¾ tsp. of gel food color with a  whisk until well incorporated. Beat in more food coloring if you want a darker color. Divide the rest of the icing and follow the same procedure (gradually decreasing the amount of food color). This icing can be stored in the fridge for 2 days.(beat it well before using)

To Assemble the cake:
1. Peel the parchment paper off all the cakes. Trim of the domed tops if any.
2. Place the first cake on a cake stand or a serving plate, starting with the darkest shade(the order of stacking is up-to you) Just make sure you have them in one order of shading or another, not all jumbled up.
3. Spread a thin layer of vanilla icing(i used a lighter shade of orange for both layering & crumb coat) on top of the first cake. Then carefully place the second cake on top. Continue like this until all four cakes are stacked one on top of each other. Place the whole cake in the fridge for  about 20 minutes to allow the icing to set.
4. After the icing has set, crumb-coat the cake by spreading a thin layer of icing down the sides and on the top of the cake. Place the crumb coated cake in the fridge for another 30 min. for the icing to set.
5. It's up to you to decide on how to decorate the cake with different colored icing. You can just apply a single colored icing all over or you can also decorate the whole cake in ombre layers like I did. You can pipe ombre rosettes or a petal ombre etc.
6. Go to this site for the type of icing I have done ombre effect
7.  I piped buttercream roses for decorating on top of the cake with the extra icing I had.

Notes:
* I used a food processor to ground raw brown sugar. You can also use white sugar.
* Use a gel based food color, If you dont have gel food color use a very good quality liquid food color(use very little as it might change the texture, taste and the baking time too)
*I baked the cakes one day ahead and iced the cake the next day.
*Adjust the quantity of icing sugar and milk for making the icing.

Honey Buttermilk Bread

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Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Flour -  200 g. 
All Purpose Flour   -      200 g. 
Active Dry Yeast    -      1 tsp.
Honey                    -      3 Tbsp. 
Salt                         -     1 tsp.
Lukewarm Water    -     50 ml 
Oil                          -     2 Tbsp.
Baking Soda           -     ½ tsp.
Butter Milk         -        200 ml 
Milk for milk wash   -   1 Tbsp.
Melted Butter           -     1 Tbsp. for glazing (optional)

Method:
1. In a bowl dissolve 1 tsp. of honey & 1 tsp. of yeast into 50 ml of lukewarm water. Keep is aside until it froths(10 to 15 min).
2. In another mixing bowl, take 200 ml. room temp. butter milk, remaining  honey, ½ tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt and the fermented yeast solution. Mix everything well.

3.  Add the flours gradually to the prepared solution & knead the dough for about 10  minutes to form a smooth ball. Add very little flour(1 tsp.) if you feel the dough is sticky.

4. Place the dough ball in a greased bowl, cover the bowl with a cling film or a kitchen towel & set it aside to rise(double in size). It took 40 to 50 min. for my dough to double(warmer weather = lesser time).
5. Once dough doubles in volume, punch it to release the air. Roll it into a rectangular shape.

6. Roll up the dough to form a  log shape. Place the  log shaped dough in a greased loaf pan(8"*3") with seam side facing down.

7. Brush the dough with milk, cover with a cling film or kitchen towel & set it aside for the second rise(about 30 min). Preheat (heating the oven for 10 to 15 min. before placing the loaf tin) the oven at 200 degree Celsius.

8. After the second rise, remove the cling film & bake  in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
9. Remove the baked bread from the oven & brush the top of the bread with the melted butter. Let it cool in the pan for a few min.
10. Remove the loaf from the pan & set it on a wire rack to cool. Let it rest for a min. of 2 hrs. before slicing.
Source: sonilicious

Blueberry Muffins

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Ingredients:
All Purpose flour  -  360 g.
Caster sugar       -  360 g. *
Salt    -   1 tsp.
Baking powder  -    1 tsp.
Baking soda -  ½ tsp.
Buttermilk    -  375 ml **
Egg    -    1
Vanilla extract    -   ½ tsp.
Butter, melted    -    70 g.***
Blueberries       -    250 g.

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 170°c.
2. Combine the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract in a bowl.
3. Put the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl and beat on a low speed using a beater.
4. Slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and beat until all the ingredients are incorporated.

5. Pour in the melted butter and beat until it has just been incorporated,gradually increase the speed of the beater and beat until the mixture is even and smooth.
6. Gently fold in the blueberries with spoon/spatula until evenly spread throughout the mixture.

7.Spoon the mixture into a 12 hole muffin tray lined with paper cases until each case is 2/3 full.

8. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins or until a skewer comes out clean and the muffins are golden brown in color.
9. Leave the muffins to cool slightly into the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Note:
* Caster sugar is nothing but finely ground granulated sugar(not powdered).
** Make your own buttermilk by mixing equal quantities of water and curd/yogurt.
*** The melted butter should be bought to room temperature before adding it to the batter.(melt the butter before proceeding with the other steps)
# I halved the recipe as I did not have enough blueberries & I made 12 muffins as my muffin tray was smaller in size.
# If not stored properly, the muffin tops will become sticky.